Sparking device for gas-engines.



PATENTED AUG.. 11,1903,

J. M. WILSON. SPARKING DEVICE FOR GAS ENGINES.

' AP PLIOATION FILED JAN. 29, 19.02.

NO MODEL.

III

ll l f UNiTED STATES Patented August 11, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. FVILSON, OF BATTLECREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELECTRIC)SPARKING & ILLUMINATING COMPANY, OF BATTLE- CREEK, MICHIGAN.

SPARK ING DEVICE FOR GAS-ENGlNES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 735,923, dated August11, 1903. Application filed January 29, 1902. Serial No- 9l,6'75. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES M. WILSON, of Battlecreek, in the county ofOalhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements .in Sparking Devices for Gas-Engines; and I hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to improvements in' sparking devices forgas-engines;

The object of my invention is to provide a device which will oontinuetoautomatically produce electric sparks within the cylinder of agas-engine during the time when an electric circuit, including the saiddevice, is closed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device which willautomatically cut out the resistance, consisting of the windings of theelectromagnet-coil, and thereby strengthen the current, for the purposeof elongating and increasing the volume of the spark and to utilize thedischarge of the operatingcoil when the short circuit is broken and itis again out into circuit for the purpose of utilizing the spark of thedischarge thus made.

With these and other objects, which may hereinafter appear, my inventionconsists in the construction and arrangement of parts and thecombinations as hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of the device in section, withthe circuits shown diagrammatically. Fig. 2 is a transverse section ofthe device, taken on lines 2 2 of Fig. 1.

The same reference-numerals indicate similar parts in both views.

1 is a fragment of the cylinder-head of a gas-engine.

2 is an iron cylinder adapted to enter a perforation in thecylinder-head l and to be held to the cylinder-head by means of thebolts 3 3, which pass through the flange 3 into the cylinder-head, Themagnetic core 41s located and fixed in the center of the cylinder 2 bymeans of the magnetic yoke 5, which fits tightly in the end of the saidcylinder and in which the said core is tightly held, providing both legsof the magnet.

6 is an annular diamagnetic support which holds the lower end of thecore 4 in position and which closes the cylinder 2.

7 is an armature, one end of which rests upon and is normally held incontact with the free end of the magnetic cylinder 2 and which is guidedby means of the lugs 2 2.

8 is a brass cap adapted to be screwed on the free end of the cylinder 2and to partly inclose the armature 7. The cap is provided with-anopening10, through which the armature 7 projects. The armature is held in placeby means of the elliptical spring 9, which is fastened to the armatureand to the cap 8 and which holds the armature normally in the positionshown in Fig. 1.

11 is the diagrammatic representation of the magnet-windings, which areadapted to surround the core 4, and which is to be energized by anyconvenient source of current.

12 is the point where the inner end of the windings is connected to thecore 4.

13 is a wire insulated in the walls of the cylinder 2 and terminating'atits lower end in a contact-point 14. The upper end of the wire isconnected to the remaining terminal of the windings 11 and also to oneterminal of a source of current, such as a dynamo or battery, by meansof the wire 19.

15 is a contact-point on the end of the armature 7, adapted to makecontact with the stationary contact 15 and the stationary contact l4. k

16 is an insulated wire passing through the walls of the cylinder 2 in amanner similar to that of wire 13, one terminal being connected to theinsulated screw 15, the other terminal connected to a timing devicewhich is located between the automatic sparking device and the source ofcurrent.

17 is a source of current, such as a battery or dynamo. In thisillustration it is shown to be a dynamo which is connected to.the timingdevice by means of wire 22.

20 is a conventional timing device.

21 is the brush with which the timing device is designed to close theelectric circuit.

The use and operation of the device may be described as follows: Thesmall cylinder 2 is inserted within the gasengine cylinder through aperforation made in the cylinderhead 1 and is fastened in position bymeans of the screws 3 3 which pass through the flange 3. It willtherefore be noticed that the entire device is inclosed within thecylinder of the gas-engine. When the circuit is closed by the timingdevice 20that is to say, when the cam makes contact with the brush 21the magnetic cylinder 2 and the core 4 are energized by the currentpassing through the coil 11, when the armature 7 will be attractedtoward the core 4 and the cylinder 2,-at which time the armature willbreak metallic contact between contact-points 15 and 15*. At this timethe circuit is completed from the dynamo 17 through the wire 22, cam 20,the brush 21, the wire 18, to the wire 16, the contact-screw 15, thecontact 15, through the arc or spark to the armatu re 7, to the point12, through the coil 11 to the wire 13, to the wire 19, back to thedynamo. When the armature 7 is thus attracted toward the cylinder 2 andthe core 4, the contacts 15 and 15 are broken and an are or spark willbridge the contacts. When connection is made between contacts 15 and 14,the coil 11 will be short-circuited thereby, and the resistance of thecore will be thus removed from the circuit and the are existingbetween-the contacts 15 and 15 will be strengthened or increased involume by virtue of the reduced resistance effected by short-circuitingof the coil 11; but the armature will no longer be forcibly attracted bythe cylinder 2 and the core 4, and the spring 9 will return the armaturetoward the contact 15 At this time the connection between the contacts14 and 15 will be broken, and the coil 11 will discharge itself andspring an are between the contacts 14 and 15, and thus the discharge ofthe coil 11 is utilized for the purpose of makinga spark. The armature?will be thus vibrated between the contact 15 and the contact 14, and aspark will be made at each point in its vibration-that is to say,between contacts 15, 15, and 14, respectively-and thus it will be seenthat while the magnetic coil which automatically vibrates the armatureto produce the spark will absorb more or less energy at one time duringits action the energy which it absorbs is utilized by virtue of thedischarge of the said coil, and a spark that results from the dischargeis utilized for the purpose for which the device is intended.

The hood 8 is placed over the armature for the purpose of preventing theshock due to the explosion of the charge of the engine from injuring thearmature or any of the working parts.

While I have shown the magnetic armature oval in form, it may be madecircular or disklike, when the guides 2 2 will not be required, andwhile I have shown a considerable portion of the device projecting intothe cylinder it is not essential that more than the armature andcontact-points be within the combustion-chamber of the cylinder.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new and useful, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an automatic sparking device for gasengines, an electromagnct, anarmature responsive thereto within the cylinder of the said engine, acontact within said cylinder controlled by said armature, a circuitcontaining said magnet adapted to be interrupted by said armature, and ameans for subsequently short-circuiting said magnet by the operation ofsaid armature.

2. In an automatic sparking device for gasengines, an electric circuitincluding an electromagnet, an armature responsive to said magnetarranged within the cylinder of the engine, and a contact within thecylinder controlled by the armature and adapted to interru pt thecircuit and short-circuit the magnet when said armature is moved inresponse thereto.

3. In an automatic sparking device for gasengines, an electromagnet, anarmature responsive thereto, an electric circuit adapted to beinterrupted by said armature, contacts included in said circuit, saidarmature and said contacts within said cylinder, and a source of currentfor energizing said magnet.

4. In an automatic sparking device for gasengines, a cylinder ofmagnetic material 2, a core 4 within said cylinder, windings 11surrounding said core, armature 7 responsive thereto within saidcylinder, contact 14 for short-circuiting said magnet, and contact 15for closing said circuit, an engine-cylinder within which the movingparts of-the device are contained, and a source of current forenergizing said device.

5. In an automatic sparking device for gasengines, a cylinder ofmagnetic material, a core of similar material within said cylinder, anarmature arranged with one end in constant electrical contact with thefree end of said magnetic cylinder, and a contact-point on the free endof said armature.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

JAMES M. WILSON. In presence of- A. W. LANE, EDITH GIBBS.

